Calathea plant named ‘Indri’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calathea  plant named ‘Indri’, characterized by its upright and broad outwardly spreading growth habit; elliptic-shaped dark green and metallic silver green-colored leaves often variably tinged with pink when developing; and long-lasting inflorescences with green and pink-colored bracts held above the foliage on strong scapes.

Botanical designation: Calathea loesenerii×C. roseo picta.

Variety denomination: ‘Indri’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 10/955,483, filed Oct. 1, 2004, titled: “Calathea Plant Named‘Mia’”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calatheaplant, botanically known as Calathea loesenerii×C. roseo picta, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Indri’.

The new Calathea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Bogor, Indonesia. The objective of the breeding programis to create new flowering Calathea cultivars with a plant habitappropriate for container production, desirable flowering habit andcolor and good postproduction longevity.

The new Calathea originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Bogor, Indonesia in July, 1996, of an unnamed selection ofCalathea loesenerii, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withthe Calathea roseo picta cultivar Eclipse, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,621),as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Indri was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bogor, Indonesiain December, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calathea by divisions in a controlledenvironment in Bogor, Indonesia since April, 1999, has shown that theunique features of this new Calathea are stable and are reproduced trueto type in successive generations. Asexual reproduction of the newCalathea by tissue culture done in a laboratory in Sebring, Fla. sinceSpring, 2000, has also confirmed that the unique features of this newCalathea are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Indri have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Indri’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Indri’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and broad outwardly spreading growth habit.    -   2. Elliptic-shaped dark green and metallic silver green-colored        leaves often variably tinged with pink when developing.    -   3. Long-lasting inflorescences with green and pink-colored        bracts held above the foliage on strong scapes.

Plants of the new Calathea can be compared to the female parent, theunnamed selection of Calathea loesenerii. However plants of the newCalathea differ from plants of the female parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calathea are shorter and more outwardly        spreading than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calathea have larger leaves than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calathea and the female parent selection        differ in leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Calathea are most similar to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Eclipse. However plants of the new Calathea differfrom plants of the cultivar Eclipse in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calathea are taller and more upright than        plants of the cultivar Eclipse.    -   2. Plants of the new Calathea have larger leaves than plants of        the cultivar Eclipse.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Calathea have green and        pink-colored bracts whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar        Eclipse have green-colored bracts.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Calathea have longer scapes than        flowers of plants of the cultivar Eclipse.

Plants of the new Calathea can also be compared to plants of theCalathea hybrid cultivar Mia (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.10/955,483, filed Oct. 1, 2004). Plants of the new Calathea and thecultivar Mia differ primarily in leaf and flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newCalathea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Indri’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Indri’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Indri’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the followingdescription were about 12 months old and grown in 15-cm containers inApopka, Fla., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperaturesranging from 24 to 35° C., night temperatures ranging from 18 to 24° C.and light levels about 1,500 foot-candles.

All color references are measured against The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition. Colors and numerical measurementsare approximate as plant growth and development depends on environmentalconditions and cultural practices such as light level and temperature,among others, without, however any variance in genotype.

-   Botanical classification: Calathea loesenerii×C. roseo picta    cultivar Indri.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Calathea            loesenerii, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Calathea roseo picta cultivar            Eclipse, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,621.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Time to initiate roots on tissue-cultured plants.—Summer:            About two weeks at temperatures of 26° C. Winter: About            three weeks at temperatures of 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted tissue-cultured plant.—Summer:            About ten weeks at 26° C. Winter: About 13 weeks at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Main roots, fibrous; lateral roots, fine;            dark brown in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright and broad outwardly spreading growth habit;            freely clumping, leaves emerging from the base in a rosette;            about five to eight axillary branches per plant.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 28 to            33 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 40 to 47 cm.        -   Petiole description.—Aspect: Upright. Length: About 12 to            18 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color: 187A. Leaf sheath: Length: About 2            to 8 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Apex: Tapering and becoming            flush with the petiole. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Fleshy. Color: 187A. Geniculum: Length: About 2.8 cm. Width:            About 5 mm. Aspect: During the night and early morning, the            geniculum is straight or slightly curved; during the day,            the geniculum is bent about 90°. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color: 187A tinged with 199A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 20 cm. Width: About 13 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            leathery. Midrib is thick and prominent; midrib recessed on            the upper leaf surface and protruding from the lower            surface. Primary veins are recessed in the leaf blade; leaf            blade is concave between the primary veins. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface:            Center, 137B; border towards the margin, a mix of 194C and            191B; midrib, 147C mixed with 146C; primary veins, 147C;            leaf often variably tinged with 58A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 187A; midrib, 177A tinged with 187A; primary            veins, 187A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Center,            137A; border towards the margin, a mix of 194B and 191A;            midrib, 147C mixed with 146C; primary veins, 147C. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 187A; midrib, 177A tinged            with 187A; primary veins, 187A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calathea begin            flowering in April in Apopka, Fla.        -   Inflorescence/flower longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            color for about ten weeks on the plant. Individual flowers            last about one day on the plant.        -   Type/arrangement.—Tall, terminally bracted spike. About 30            to 36 cm in height. Flower bracts are arranged in            closely-spaced vertical ranks and occupy the uppermost 6 cm            of the spike. About seven terminal bracts and about ten            lower bracts with underlying flowers.        -   Terminal bract shape.—Ovate; apex, acute; margin, entire.        -   Lower bract shape.—Obovate; apex, emarginate; margin,            entire.        -   Terminal bract length.—About 4.2 to 5.2 cm.        -   Lower bract length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Terminal bract width.—About 1.9 to 2.7 cm.        -   Lower bract width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Terminal and lower bract texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth.        -   Terminal bract color, immature, upper and lower            surfaces.—146D; towards the margins, 65B to 65C.        -   Terminal bract color, mature, upper and lower surfaces.—146C            to 146D; towards the margins, tinged with 59D; towards the            base, 155D flushed with 146D.        -   Lower bract color, immature, upper and lower surfaces.—146D;            towards the margins, 65B to 65C.        -   Lower bract color, mature, upper and lower surfaces.—155D            flushed with 146D; towards the margins, 59D.        -   Flowers.—Arrangement: Borne in short branch spikes under the            lower bracts. Each branch spike contains about four flowers            or buds. About 45 flowers/buds per inflorescence. Calyx and            corolla mostly concealed under bracts; staminodes, style and            anther prominently displayed. Calyx: Quantity of sepals per            flower: Three. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm.            Color: 155D. Corolla: Quantity of petals per flower: Three.            Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Color: 155D.        -   Staminodes.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: Two            staminodes, about 3.5 cm; third staminode, about 3.1 cm.            Width: About 4 mm. Color: Two staminodes, about 155D; third            staminode, 155D, towards the apex, 79D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen quantity per flower: One.            Filament length: About 2.2 cm. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.            Anther color: 9D. Style length: About 3 cm. Style color:            155D. Ovary: Inferior, three-celled. Ovary length: About            3 mm. Ovary color: 158B.        -   Scapes.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:            Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: 187A tinged            with 177A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Calathea have not been noted to be resistant to    pathogens or pests common to Calathea.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calathea have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from 6 to 40° C. in Apopka, Fla.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calathea plant named ‘Indri’, asillustrated and described.